The man

The boy that melts my heart. Makes me laugh. Gives the best "huggles" and tells me I'm the best mommy everrr, totally unprompted. Raising a little boy who is brave, fearless and adventurous is awesome. And scary. Jackson jumps off everything, runs everywhere, "surfs" down the side of the stairs every dang time instead of walking down the steps, and rides his bike at 100 mph to the park. Mothering my boy is so definitely different than his sister and I'm learning a little bit more every day how to embrace his toughness. All while encouraging his love for affection and his sweet, sensitive side. Because thank the dear Lord, Jackson has the most tender heart on the planet. Our big dude is tough, but he's also the one who climbs in bed and cuddles with us for a half hour each morning asking for a back rub, the one who still asks "Daddy, hold you!", the boy who runs full speed from across the park to grab a quick snuggle, and who constantly says "I love ____ soooo much" depending on who he loves most that day.

He's pretty much perfect. Hard to get mad at. Easy to love. A beauty to look at. And FUN to be with. Especially in his red, race car rain boots, fishing with a stick in a rain puddle on the side of the road.

2 year old brain.

Me: "Jackson, what should you do when Mommy says STOP! when you're riding your bike?"

Jackson:  "Go to bedtime."

Me:  "No. When Mommy says STOP should you listen and stop your bike or should you ride faster?"

Jackson:  "Want to play basketball?"

The man.

Jackson is known as "the man" around here.  He is just the best.

Favorite thing to do: Ride his bike. He would do this all day, every day, if he could.
Favorite snack:  Blueberries
Favorite books: Cat in the Hat and Dinosaur Shapes
Favorite show: Super Why
Favorite dinner:  Buzz-on-ya!  (lasagna)

He takes off his shoes every single time we get in the car.  He sticks out his tongue and smiles when anyone tries to say hi to him.  He loves company logos...Home Depot!  Target!  Boca!  Paradise Foods!  He asks to go to the park 10 times a day.  He uses the potty, hooray!  He misses Daddy "soooooo much" when Daddy goes to work in "Samf Ma-sisco" i.e. San Francisco.

Love this buddy to the moon.  And he says he loves me all the way to the park.  And to Georgia.  And to Safeway.

That's a lot of love.

Jackson's New Bike

Jackson vs the Popsicle

No one enjoys a Popsicle more than this guy. Guaranteed.

TWO!

We had the best day celebrating our big boy!  Can't believe he is two!  I know every mother says this, but the second child grows up even quicker than the first.  HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!   While I love to daydream about the future of my children, I can't help but wish they would stay this age forever.  Two and four years old seem just perfect.   Today, I heard Lucca in the other room tell Jackson that he was her "April Baby".  Another time I heard her asking if he was soo excited to be two.  At dinner, she asked if he was having the best birthday ever.  And then at bedtime, she told me she made him feel extra special on his birthday.  Does it get sweeter?  Say no, or I may explode with hearts and glitter and all things happy sounding.

After waking up & eating birthday muffins & breaking both of his new birthday presents from us within an hour, we went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum.  We met up with our visiting Washington cousins for a morning of fun in the beautiful California sun.  Perfect company, perfect weather.  Having my baby boy on the same day as my sisters' birthday, with her in the delivery room, was pretty special.  Fast forward two years to today and being together again made my big ol' heart happy as can be.

Me. My sister. And our children. Including a teeny babe in her belly.  

My smile doesn't get bigger.

Wasn't it just yesterday that we brought our new baby brother home to Sausalito?   It sure seems like yesterday when our lives changed beautifully for the better by this sweet boy joining our family.  We knew we loved being parents & we knew we were excited about having a SON, but we didn't know just how magical this boy would be.  His life has brought us joy, laughter and gratitude beyond our dreams.  

To two years....the best two years...

We love you, buddy.   I don't think Daddy would clean poop out of the tub for any one else but you.  Although, don't ever do that again.  May it just be a fluke birthday thing.  PLEASE. DEAR GOD, PLEASE.

"Want some eggs, Mama?"

Say it aint so, this guy will be TWO YEARS OLD next month. Heavens, that went quicker than the first time we played this game {with big sister}. He is turning into a little boy, losing all signs of baby very quickly. We are still hanging on to the singing to sleep, diapers, and missing 5 outta 10 bites actually going into the mouth while eating ... but other than that he is well on his way to fully embracing toddlerhood. Evident by 1) his size 2) his temper 3) his running faster than mama speed capability.

He has a way with words, this one. Always catching strangers off guard when he starts conversations with them. If you ask him, he will tell you he is having a "Cat in the Hat birthday party" and that is he turning two. He tells me I'm a "special mommy" and the "best mommy" and he tells Lucca "I love you sooo much CocoBee". He tells us "my favorite part of the day is when Daddy comes home" and asks to jump on the trampoline and paint about 700 times a day.

He is a master at turning all the lights on and off and finding my car keys and making the car alarm go off daily. See also: opening the trunk. He is not super fun to take shopping, but he is super fun to skateboard with. And play soccer with. And play trains with. And sing with. And laugh with.

He has our hearts, that is for certain.

Poor little bud

This guy got hit with the same yucky bug that canceled Lucca's 4th birthday party. Fever, cough, cold & general discomfort. We have heard our happy boy cry more in the past two days than the past two years. And sleep? Only in mommy's arms. Somehow magically, I'm the only one yet to be taken down by this monster of a virus.

Wishing, hoping, praying the night is restful and the morning brings renewed health (and happiness) back to our Stone.

But on a side note, how major cute does his little baby face look in my arms? Come on.

Fun in the tub